I LOVE Thai food. Beef krapow, larb gai, satay, panang curry... *heart eye emoji*. Thai food has always been one of my go-to delivery orders, but recently I've been trying to make it at home more. As always, the ingredient list intimidated me, but over the years I've built up my pantry stock of Thai staples like fish sauce, oyster sauce, Thai basil, and so on, so now I can make all my favorites at home. The best part of making your own Thai food is that it's so customizable - I usually add a ton of veggies to mine to up the health factor a little bit.

And on that note, after weeks of travel and friends in town and weddings, I've been eating pretty terribly (and by that I mean amazing food but super heavy), so I've been trying to really overdo it with the veggies. This Thai Curry Soup works with any vegetables you like, so I basically went ham on the Whole Foods produce section. I actually didn't end up using a few things because I got so sick of chopping, but the soup could have handled even more. You can leave this vegetarian or add protein (I added shrimp, and I bet chicken would be great too), and feel free to mess around with my vegetable list! As a great philosopher once said, the kitchen is your oyster.

Thai Curry SoupServes 6

4 oz jar of red curry paste (about 5 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons cooking oil (I used vegetable, but whatever works)

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

3 14 oz cans light coconut milk

2 tablespoons minced garlic

3 red peppers, diced

2 white or yellow onions, diced

4 parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 cups mushrooms, chopped

2 cups green beans, chopped

2 serrano or jalapeño peppers, minced (optional)

Sautee curry paste in cooking oil for 5 minutes. Add bell peppers, onions, garlic, and serrano peppers (if using) and sautee an additional 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. If you want to add protein, I added frozen (peeled and tail-less) shrimp towards the end and let them cook in the soup for 10 minutes or so. You could also add some tofu or cooked shredded chicken towards the end. After soup has simmered, serve and enjoy!

I'm Steph, a wannabe chef in DC cooking for two in a tiny apartment kitchen. I love food (cooking it AND eating it), wine, books, and writing, and I'm so excited to share a bit of my life (and my food!) with you!